Badlapur Case: Has Maharashtra's Crime Rate Against Women Truly Changed? NCRB Data Tells A Different Story

The Badlapur minor sexual assault case has again put the spotlight on the vulnerability that women face in Maharashtra. The recent incidents have shown that females are not safe anywhere - be it their homes, schools or public places. What is shocking is that even when the entire country was under lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of crimes against women in Maharashtra remained astonishing, as claimed by several reports. 

While the case of child sexual abuse in a school in Badlapur has created a stir in political and social circles, on the other hand, NCRB data has exposed the truth of the atrocities being openly committed in society against women. Several media reports citing NCRB data claimed that during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2021 under the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, led by then CM Uddhav Thackeray, an average of 109 women became victims of atrocities every day. The situation is similar even today. In the year 2020, 31,701 crimes were committed against women in Maharashtra, which means that on average, 88 women were victims of atrocities every day. In the first half of 2022, this number was an average of 126, which has remained constant in 2023, said reports citing the NCRB data. 

From January to June 2022, when the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, 126 women faced atrocities every day, while from July to December 2022, during the Mahayuti government, this number decreased slightly to 116, according to the reports. However, in 2023, this average again reached 126, indicating that the situation of women's safety in the state is still grave.

As of 31st January 2023, there were around 33,072 pending POCSO cases in Maharashtra. The reports claimed that in 2021, POCSO-related crimes were 249, and increased to 332 in 2022.

According to Mumbai Police data, the total number of crimes against women in Mumbai slightly increased from 3,488 cases in January-July 2023 to 3,500 cases in the same period in 2024. Notably, cases of molestation and outraging the modesty of women rose by 5%, climbing from 1,616 to 1,689 cases. Additionally, 505 rape cases were reported in Mumbai between January and July 2024, compared to 528 cases during the same period in 2023.

This data clearly indicates that there has been no significant decrease in crimes against women during the lockdown. While some incidents have increased and others have decreased, the overall situation is concerning. There is an urgent need for concrete and effective measures to ensure the safety of women in the state.